Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1887-11-26
THE PANAMA CANAL.
THE NEW CONNECTION BETWEEN
THE ATLANTIC AND PACIFIC.
saavedra's Suggestion of Cutting Through
the Darien Isthmus in 152O-A Survey
Made Shortly After-Four Routes Pro-
posed by Galvio-French Movements.


Science that the Panama canal will be
opened on February 3, 1890, at which
time it will be ready to receive twenty
vessels day, brings to mind the fact that
many well-informed persons who have
taken some interest in the project know
but little concerning the history of sim
liar schemes connected with the cutting
through, at one part or another, Of the
narrow land which joins North America
and South America, and at present sep
arates the Atlantic from the Pacific.
For more than 300 years the subject of
communication between the two oceans
has been more or less discussed by navi
gators, adventures and scientific men.
A casual observer looking at the map is
struck with the apparent simplicity of
the idea. Those even who have had OPP
portunities of surveying the country have
in many instances failed to realize the
enormous difficulties to be surmounted
before any effort in such a direction
could be successfully carried out.
1t is on record that one Angel Save
dra, in 1920, suggested the cutting
through of the Darien isthmus. A little
later on survey was made of the 18th
mus of Tehuantepec, with an idea that
canal might be constructed in that vi
entity. This isthmus is about 900 miles
as the crow flies in northwesterly di-
rection from the Isthmus of Panama. 1t
is about as far north from the northern
extremity of Central America as Panama
is to the south of that country.
In 1850, just 337 years ago, Antonio
Galyio, after travelling through Central
America and the land in its vicinity,
proposed four routes, any one of which
he considered suitable for the location
of the canal. One of these was that Sc
lected few years ago for the experiment
row proceeding under the supervision of
nj. de Lesseps-an experiment which has
swallowed up an immense amount of
money, but which promises, if successful,
to return from 90,000,000 to 100000, 900
francs per annum.
A long time elapsed before anything
practical was done. 1t was not until
1914 that an order was received from the
Spanish government by the viceroy of
New Spain to commence cutting through
the Isthmus of Tehuantepec. TIE war of
independence prevented the order being
carried out.
Another survey was made in 1891 by
General Obegoso. Then Jose 6e Garny,
also Spaniard secured concession in
1912 Still the work hung fire. Between
the period of the aforementioned survey
and concession, Bolivar, President of
Colombia, instigated and had carried out
survey of the Panama isthmus. One
of his surveyors, Lloyd, in paper pub
lished in London in 1880, proposed as
the result of investigation, to make a
railway from Panama or Chorrera to the
Rio Trinidad, tributary of the River
Chagres. His idea was, in this connec-
ton, to establish port on the Bay of
Lima. Nothing came of that scheme at
the time.
In 1843 the French government sent
over Napoleon Garella to make observa-
tions and report. He recommended the
construction of sluiced canal.
The discovery of gold in California
several years after this caused great in
crease of traffic across the Panama 18TH
mus. In 1849, consequent on this Access
sion of travellers, some enterprising
Americans completed the formation of
a company and commenced railroad
under the superintendent of two emil
nent engineers, Totten and Trautwine,
who had become famous principally be-
cause of their work on canal at Cartha-
gena. Six years later this road was in
working order, Notwithstanding the diff
culties experienced in securing and sus-
tanning the men employed on the works
Two years after the commencement of
this railroad the United States govern
ment, in 1851, ordered survey of the
lsthmus of Panama and other narrow
portions of land between that place and
the southern pait of Mexico. The first
inspection led to no satisfactory conclu-
sions. For the time being the matter
was dropped. A subsequent inspection
under the same auspices has resulted in
the selection of the Nicaraguan route,
running across Central America about
the Panama isthmus, and utilizing the
San Juan river and Lake Nicaragua
Before this decision was definitely ar
rived at, the subject of ship canal was
brought up for discussion in 1875, at a
scientific congress held at Paris As a
result of that discussion an exploring
party was sent over from France, arriv-
ing there in 1876. NM Wyse, Celler,
Reclus, Bixio and others were among
the party. Their labors eliminated in
the formation of the Civil International
Interoceanic Canal Society. The Colom-
bian government was applied to for the
right to construct and maintain a canal
through the Colombian territory between
the two oceans.
In 1878, this privilege was granted to
the society for ninety nine years. Among
the other conditions agreed to it was ar
ranged that two engineers, deputed by
the grantor, should be included in the
surveying party for purposes of consult
alton and advice. AS part of the con-
tract it was further agreed that an uni
versaP company be thoroughly organ
lied and kept up; that the canal be fin
ished in twelve years me-1890-that
all public lands required for the work,
including belt 200 yards wide on each
side of the canal, be coded to the COM
pany free; that 1 PAS, 900 acres of public
land be given the company to aid them
i'll carrying out their work.
1t was also made part of the contract
that the ports at each end and the waters